Dough cutting and shaping machine



y 7, 1942- s. A. KRETCHMAN DOUGH CUTTING AND SHPING' MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1940 y 1942! s. A. KRETCHMAN,

DOUGH CUTTING AND SHAPING MACHINE I Filed Feb. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1942. s. A. KRETCHMAN 2,288,908

DOUGH CUTTING AND SHAPING MACHINE Fil-ed Feb. 21} 1940 5Sheets-Sheet s I y 7, 1942. s. A. KRETCHMAN I DOUGH CUTTING AND SHAPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet ,4-

July 7, 1942.

s. A. KRETCHMAN DOUGH CUTTING AND SHAPING MACHINE File d Feb. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOUGH CUTTING AND SHAPING MACHINE Stanley a Kretchman, Chicago, 111.

Application February 21, 1940, Serial No. 320,108

(or. 1o7 2 1) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to dough cutting and shaping machines.

Machines of this type are usually employed in the making of rolls, buns, biscuits, cookies, crackers, etc., and are designed to cut pieces of predetermined sizes and shapes from strips of dough moving past the cutters on a traveling conveyor. It is quite essential in the cutting of dough that the action be quick and preferably perpendicular to the dough if the cut is to be straight and sharply made and without disturbing the dough for the next cut. Difficulties arose, however,

' in the construction of machines heretofore used to cut and shape dough. Various arrangements were provided for the cutters so that they would effect a cutting operation upon the dough as it would be fed past the same on a traveling conveyor. It seemed quite essential in certain structures to arrange the cutters in the form of a drum and to move or rotate the same either by movement of the conveyor as the cutters engaged the conveyor or by a separate drive. The kind of cut produced by this arrangement was unsatisfactory because the cutters, entered the dough on an arc and caused a slanting cut that pulled the dough, closed it on a slant on one side and made a very undesirable inwardly slanting undercut on the other side. In other words,'the pieces cut would not have perpendicular sides but a peculiar shape that gave a distorted appearance. Another suggestion of cutter arrangement involved a vertical movement for the cutters but to prevent slippage or disturbance of the dough relative to the conveyor due to it being in continuous motion, the conveyor had to be stopped for each cutting operation. The delay caused by such repeated stopping and starting of the conveyor was very objectionable. The mechanism necessary to effect such an operation of the conveyor, as well as the presence of a slight slippage of the conveyor relative to the position of the cutters each time the conveyor stopped and started, made this arrangement the least desirable. slippage of the conveyor caused variations in the size of pieces which made production difficult and gave a less marketable prodanism for effecting a straight cut without any pulling of the dough, variations in sizes of the cut, or requiring the conveyor to stop for each operation. These results are accomplished by a structure providing a perpendicular or substantially perpendicular movement of the cutters relative to the conveyor and a cutting operation by these-perpendicularly moving cutters that does not require the conveyor each time to be stopped.

Specifically, the invention is directed to an improved type of machine for cutting and shaping dough having mechanism providing a new and novel movement for the cutters whereby the cutters move in the same direction and at the same speed as the conveyor while these cutters are moving perpendicularly to effect a cutting operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a predetermined relation between the movement of the cutters, while traveling in the direction of the conveyor and at its speed, and the distance the conveyor travels during each cycle of operation whereby the cutters will be returned to their original position and ready for the next operation as the advancing edge of the dough moves forwardly for the next cutting.

A still further object of the invention is to provide cutting means including cutter mounting means adapted interchangeably to receive cutters arranged to out different lengths and have different cutting capacities with respect to the total cut from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation and means associated with or forming a part of the drive for maintaining said predetermined relation between the distance traveled by the cutters moving in the direction of the conveyor and the distance traveled by the conveyor during each operation whereby different sized cutters may be readily used by the machine disclosed herein, to produce different sizes or kinds of cuts without affecting the continuous operation of the machine.

This is accomplished by means adapted to vary the stroke of the cutters in the direction of the movement of the conveyor proportionately to the size of the total cut to be made upon the advancing edge of the dough for each cutting operation. In this manner any type or size cutters may be readily used without interfering with the operation of the machine to cut continuously from the advancing edge of the dough on a continuously moving conveyor. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detail description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a limited portion of the machine to illustrate the cutting mechanism and the drive for this cutting mechanism and the conveyor;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of .the machine to illustrate this driving mechanism, cutting mechanism and connections therebetween;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the cutting carriage and the eccentric drive that causes the cutters to move perpendicularly against the dough on the conveyor;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one form of cutter head adapted to be mounted upon the cutter carriage, this cutter head illustrating a plurality of cutters and dough stripping devices adapted to be carried therebetween.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view through one of the four rods forming part of the cutting means and carrying a cutter carriage supporting the cutter head and illustrating a resilient connection adapted .to compensate for any overtravel of the cutting mechanism after the cutters have moved downwardly to the limit of their stroke to effect a cutting operation;

Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating the position of the parts when the cutters are in a startin position and about to effect a cutting operation;

Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the position of the parts at the time the cutters are penetrating the dough on the conveyor and eifecting a cutting operation;

Fig. 10 is a similar view illustrating the position of the parts after cutting operation is completed and the cutters are about to be returned to their position, as shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of that portion of the driving mechanism for the cutters that predetermines the distance the cutters travel with the conveyor during the cutting operation;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of another form of cutter head that may be used which employs a combination of cutters and crunchers;

Fig. 13 is a side view of one of the members r of the frame structure supported above the conveyor;

Fig. 14 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 15 is a side view of another of the members comprising this frame structure supported above the conveyor;

Fig. 16 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 17 is a side view of the upper frame member of the cutting device;

Fig. 18 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 19 illustrates the means provided to effect a reciprocal movement of the cutting means in a plane parallel to the conveyor;

Fig. 20 is a detail sectional view through one side of the upper corner of the machine outside of the immediate area of the drive mechanism and cutting device for supporting the upper run of the conveyor; I

Fig. 21 is. a side view of one form of product out by the machine disclosed herein to illustrate the vertical sides formed on this product as the result of the perpendicular cutting action of the cutters with respect to the dough on the moving conveyor;

Fig. 21a is an end view of the same product;

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 21 but showing the same piece of dough cut by machines of the prior art having the cutters arranged about a drum and rotating as the conveyor moves past the same, illustrating an undesirable slanting surface of one side and the manner in which the cutters pull the outside layer of the dough over the opposite side to close the same and cause a blind end as the result of the cutters approach ing the dough in an arc during the cutting operation;

,Fig. 23 is a bottom plan view of another form of cutter head that may be used to cut circular objects, such' as doughnuts or similar pastry goods; and

Fig. 24 illustrates a product out by the present machine and crunched by the crunchers carried by the cutter head illustrated in Fig. 12.

The parts of the machine disclosed herein may be carried upon any suitable frame structure which may comprise, for example, a plurality of upper and lower longitudinal members 2 and 3, connected by end members 4 and intermediate members 5 and 6 disposed at opposite sides of the frame structure. These latter members are of a shape and size to support a majority of the parts of the drive mechanism. End members 4 may support bearings and 8 to receive shafts 9 and I0, which carry end rollers I I and I2 for an endless conveyor I3. The upper run 01' conveyor I3 may be positioned to travel in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1 between upper frame members 2 and comprises the traveling table of the machine which receives dough at the left-hand end and feeds it past a plurality of cutters I5 suitably supported in a cutter head member I6 removably carried by a carriage I1 that is adapted to reciprocate in a plane parallel or substantially parallel to conveyor I3 and move perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly with respect to conveyor I3 to bring cutters I5 into cutting relation with dough on conveyor I3.

Cutter carriage I1 is supported by any'suitable means, which, in the drawings, is disclosed as a plurality of rods IB'arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the machine. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and Figs. 17 and 18, each pair of rods I8 on opposite sides of the machine is fixed to a casting I9 formed on each side as two parallel plates 20 and 2I connected together at their lower ends to receive the upper ends of rods Ifl. the bottomconnection 28 extending crosswise of the machine so as to dispose these parallel plates 20 and 2I on opposite sides and provide means for receiving the means that causes the cutting device, designated broadly as A, to move substantially parallel to conveyor I3 and perpendicularly to the same to effect a cutting operation. This means may comprise a bar 22 provided on each side of casting I9 and forming a track to lie between parallel plates 20 and 2i. Plates 20 and 2|, on each side, are furnished with rollers 60 and 6| between which bar 22 rides, Bar 2'2 is connected at opposite ends to plates 23 and 24 by means of eccentric connections 25. Plates 23 and 24 are carried upon shafts 26 and 21, respectively, supported upon a frame structure extending crosswise of and above conveyor I3. Casting I9 is shown in detail in Figs. 17 and 18.

The frame for carrying the cutting mechanism above conveyor I3 may comprise two lower frame members 30 and 3| longitudinally disposed along opposite upper frame members 2 and two frame members 33 and 34 transversely disposed upon frame members 30 and 3|. Lower frame members 30 and 3| are shown in detail in Figs. 13 and 14. Each comprises a base strip 35 having feet 36 at opposite ends adapted to be bolted along one of the upper longitudinal frame members 2 above intermediate members and 6. Webbed vertical sides 31 support a flanged top member 38 having its opposite ends 39 provided with bolt openings for receiving bolts 46 attaching frame members 33 and 34 crosswise thereof at these ends 39. Frame members 33 and 34 are shown in detail in Figs. and-l6. Each comprises a lower portion resembling an inverted U, having feet 4| through which bolts 40 pass. Adjacent feet- 4| are bearings 42 for carrying a transverse shaft to be hereinafter described. Upstanding arms 43 are also provided with bearings 44 and are drilled at their upper part to receive fastening means securing a cross bar 45 on each side, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Cross bars 45 are placed between the upper ends of these frames 33 and 34 along opposite sides of the machine firmly to tie these members together at the upper ends.

Shafts 26 and 21 are adapted to be carried by the bearings 44 of these frame members 33 and 34. Sprockets 46 and 41 are mounted upon shafts 26 and 21 and have a chain 48-therebetween. Another sprocket 49 is adapted to be carried upon shaft 21. Sprocket 49 is driven by a chain 50, entrained over a sprocket 5|, carried by a shaft 52 and supported by bearings 42 of frame member 33. One end of shaft 52 extends beyond adjacent bearing 42 to carry a sprocket 53 driven by a chain 54 extending downwardlyto the drive mechanism to be presently described. It will be understood that a similar drive may also be provided for the opposite end of shaft 52, if so desired. In this manner, shafts 26 and 21 are driven so as to rotate plates 23 and 24 on their outer ends respectively, the eccentric-connections causing bar 22 to move up and down and thereby impart a vertical movement to cutters |5 to effect a cutting operation.

The mechanism for moving cutter device A parallel or substantially parallel to the upper run of conveyor l3 while bar 22 moves back and forth in effecting a cutting operation will now be described. The upper surface of the flanged top of each frame member 36 and 3| is adapted to be provided with a track 55 upon which a plate 56 is adapted to ride. Plate 56 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 19 to show the manner in which its ends rest upon track 55. Plate 56 is a part of cutting means A and has rods l8 passing therethrough. The ends of plate 56 are longitudinally grooved at 51 to receive the tracks 55. Bearings 58 on plate 56 act as guides for the vertically moving rods l8. With rods |8 passing through bearings 58, reciprocating movement of plate 56 in a horizontal plane will. move these rods |8 also in a horizontal plane and cause casting l9 likewise to move by means of rollers 60 and 6| riding along bar 22. Plate 56 thus forms a part of cutting device A. It is provided with an ear 62 on each side, to which is connected a pivotally mounted actuating lever 63 extending downwardly below the conveyor l3 to the drive mechanism, being pivotally carried by a shaft 66 extending crosswise of the mameshing gears and 8| (see Fig. 4).

elongated slot 64 for receiving a pin 65 extending from ear 62. When levers 63 are swung about their pivot point 66, it will effect a reciprocal movement of plate 56 upon track members 55 .carried by the upper part of said frame members 36 and 3|. To keep plate 56 upon track members 55, frame members 30 and 3| are each provided with a pair of upstanding brackets 61 that carry inwardly positioned rollers 68 adapted to bear against plate 56 along its side edges (see 6 Figs. 2, 3 and 19).

The driving mechanism comprises any source of suitable power, such as a motor 16, driving a shaft 1| through a gear reduction 12. Suitable sprockets 13 and 14 and a chain 15 therefor comprise the drive between motor 16 and gear reduction 12. A second sprocket 16 associated with gear reduction 12 drives a chain 11 that ex tends over a sprocket 18 fixed to shaft 1|. Shaft 1| drives another shaft 19 by means of inter- Sprocket 82 on shaft 19 drives a chain 83, which, in turn, drives a sprocket 84 fixed to a shaft 85 upon which conveyor roller 86 is mounted. Conveyor I3 is driven by roller 86. As illustrated in Fig. l, the lower run of conveyor l3 may be guided by any number of suitably located idlers 81.

The outer end of shaft 1| is provided with a sprocket 8B for driving chain 54 which drives sprocket 53 upon shaft 52 for the purpose of operating eccentric connections 25. A suitable clutch may be interposed between sprocket 88 and gear 86 which drives shaft 1|. Clutch device 90 may be of the type known as a one-revolution clutch adapted to effect a driving connection between its driving and driven parts for a single revolution of the same. It will be understood that shaft 1| comprises in facttwo parts, 1| and He, the separation being at clutch 96 so that part 1| is connected to the driving member of theclutch and the other part 1|a is connected to the driven member thereof. As will be presently explained, each time clutch 90 is tripped sprocket 88 will be driven one complete revolution. This action will drive shafts 26 and 21 and rotate plates 23 and 24 one revolution,-

whereby to actuateeccentric connections 25 to which bar 22 is connected. This movement of plates 23 and 24 will cause bar 22, through these eccentric connections, to impart a vertical movement to cutting device A. Cutting device A will not be affected by any movement of bar 22 in a horizontal direction as the result of eccentric connections 25 being carried by plates 23 and 24, due tothe sliding arrangement provided between bar 22 and casting l9 at rollers 60 and 6|. Neither will this horizontal movement of bar 22 affect the movement of the cutting device in a horizontal direction, bar 22 and cutting device A each being freely movable with respect to each other by virtue of the roller suspension of casting |9 upon this bar 22.

Shaft 19 is also provided with a sprocket 9| adapted to drive by means of a chain 92 a sprocket 93 on a shaft 94. Like the other shafts herein described, shaft 94 is mounted in any suitable way upon the frame structure of the machine. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the various parts of the driven mechanism may be compactly arranged in mounted relation upon intermediate frame members 5 and 6, or other parts of the frame structure in close proximity thereto. A pattern gear 95, or like driving element, is fixedly carried upon shaft 94 near one end. Pattern gear 95 functions to drive pivotally mounted actuating of cutting device A in the direction of travel of conveyor I3 is equal to one-half of the dis tance conveyor I3 travels for each cycle of operation. This is accomplished by attaching a toothed segment 95 to the lower end of link 63 so that teeth on pattern gear 95 will mesh with teeth on segment 96 to swing link 63' in a clockwise direction about its shaft 66. The number of teeth on pattern gear 95 engaging teeth on segment 96 for a single cutting operation will determine the extent of the swing of link 53'. This is accomplished by dividing the periphery of pattern gear 95 into a number of alternate toothed portions 91 and blank portions Sit As the teeth of a toothed portion move past segmerit 95, they engage the teeth of the latter and swing it clockwise a predetermined distance whereupon a blank portion 98 will move into position below the teeth of segments 95 and disengage segment 90 from driving relation with pattern gear 95. Spring 99 attached to link 63 immediately returns the lower ends: of this link 63' by a quick movement. End 99' of spring 99 may be attached to any fixed portion of the machine. V

A trip mechanism, designated broadly as I and comprising a trip link IBI, a pivoted link I02 and a clutch dog I03, is arranged to be actuated by link 63' in order to withdraw clutch dog I03 from engagement with clutch shoulder I 04 on clutch 90. Clutch 90 will then connect the drive portion of shaft II with the driven portion Ha carrying sprocket 88 driving the connection 54 which extends to the upper part of the machine and drives eccentric connections 25 one revolution to effect a cutting operation 'by vertical movement of cutting device A. A spring I05 is interposed between the free end of trip lever WI and a shoulder I05 on link 63'. The sudden return movement of this link 63', by means of spring 99, will cause clutch dog I03 to be quickly kicked out of engagement with'clutch shoulder I04 through spring I05, trip link IOI rand pivoted link I02. .Clutch shoulder I04 is adapted to rotate clockwise as shown by the arrow in Fig, 2. As soon as it has made a complete revolution, further operation of the clutch will be checked by clutch dog I03 again lying in the path of clutch shoulder I00 so that the clutch is limited inz'its operation to a single revolution, Hence, cutters I5 will be brought vertically toward and against conveyor I3 to effect a cutting operation of the dough each time gear 95 operates to swing actuating link 63' in the manner described to effect movement of these cutters I5 in the same direction as the travel of conveyor I3. I find it preferable that cutters I5 move or travel at the same speed as conveyor I3 when moving in the same direction so that there is no relative movement in a horizontal direction between cutters I5 and conveyor I3 to allow any shifting or similar disturbance of the dough as cutters I5 enter and cut the same. I also find it very desirable to eiiect a quick vertical movement of cutters I5 during the cutting operation in both cases. A clean perpendicular cut of the dough will be obtained by each cutter andany tendency to cause deformation of the perpendicular walls formed by the cut will be obviated.

As previously mentioned, cutters I5 are carried by cutter head I0. These parts may be arranged as a removable unit with respect to cutter carriage I1 (see Fig. 6). By referring to Fig.

0, carriage Il may comprise a casting formed as a plate I I0 having bars I II secured to the underside along the longitudinal edges. These bars may be slotted at IIZ so asto receive ends N3 of cutter head I6 that are arranged to project beyond the vertical edges of cutter blades I5. Consequently, the cutter head and blade unit may be readily withdrawn from cutter carriage I! to permit another cutter head and blade unit to be inserted which may be provided with a different arrangement of blades to effect cuts of different lengths and have different cutting capacities with respect to the total cut from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation. For example, instead of five cutting blades I5, as shown in Fig. 6, to produce five individually cut pieces of the same length for each cutting operation, a different number of cutter blades I5 may be used to produce a correspondingly different number of cut pieces, the total dimensions of which may be the same as the five pieces cut by the unit shown in Fig. 6, or a different total dimension, so that the cutting area upon each cutting operation will be different. If certain types of pastries are to be made and it is desirable to cut the dough thereof into single lengths, a single cutter I5 could be used. In this event, the length of the cut would undoubtedly be diiferent than the total cut made from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation by the unit shown in Fig. 6. If such a change in the total cut to be made or the total capacity of the cutting unit is desirable, it will be apparent that the horizontal stroke or distance of travel of the cutting unit in the direction of travel of conveyor I3 will be diiierent than for the cutting unit illustrated in Figs. 1

and 2, in order that the aforesaid predetermined cutting unit and the distance the conveyor travels upon each cycle of operation shall be maintained. If. this predetermined relation is not maintained, as heretofore explained, conveyor I3 will travel at a rate that will not conform to the amount of dough cut from the advancing edge as it is fed past the cutters for each cutting operation. The result will be that waste areas will occur between each cutting operation if conveyor I3 is moving too fast or not enough dough will be advanced for each vertical stroke of cutters I5 to permit a complete out if conveyor I3 is moving too slowly.

Inasmuch as the machine disclosed herein will be used at various times during the day for cutting and shaping rolls, buns, doughnuts, biscuits, cookies, crackers, etc., whether made of leavened or unleavened dough,,plain dough, Danish dough or rolled-in dough, the utility of the machine will be greatly enhanced ii a quick change can be made-to provide. cuts of different sizes without a complete knockdown and reassembly of the parts of the driving mechanism being required. The arrangement provided herein preferably permits the same speed for conveyor I3 at all times. This is desirable because operators working along the moving table of this machine, which may be of any desirable length at each end as illustrated in Fig. 1, readily become accustomed to a certain speed and work more em- 9,288,908 ciently if the speed remains constant than, they "sized goods taken from the advancing edge of the dough when different sized cutters are employed. As stated previously, the "movement forwardly of cutting means A with respect to the distance traveled by the conveyoron each cycle of operation is a fixed ratio to be maintained irrespective of the size of out made upon each cutting operation. In this manner, the speed of conveyor I3 may remain constant and cutters I5 will move in the directionof travel of conveyor I3 at a rate of speed placing cutters I3 in a position ready for a cutting operation when the advancingedge of the dough on the con veyor has moved forwardly equal to the amount of dough cuttherefrom on each operation. To this end, pattern gear 95 may be readily removed and replaced by a pattern gear having toothed portions 91 with a smaller or greater number of teeth to vary the swinging movement of link 63. The rotation of pattern gear 95 is in timed relation to the drive of conveyor I3, whereby conveyor I3 and cutting means A will move in the same horizontal direction at the same rate of speed. A smaller cut from the advancing edge of the dough in one operation of cutters I5 will not require as great a distance of travel of cutting means A forwardly in a, horizontal direction as will be necessary when cutters I5 effect cuts of greater length from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation. Consequently, fewer teeth are employed on toothed portions 91 and blank portions 98 are shorter so that the cutters I5 will be returned to the left sooner in order to be ready for next cutting operation. From this explanation it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that by merely changing the number of teeth and the dimension of blank portions 98, the forward horizontal stroke of cutting means A maybe changed as desired and thereby permit the use of cutters spaced apart at different distances to effect a different total out from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation without disturbing the relation between the distance conveyor I3 moves and the distance cutters I 5 move for each cutting operation of the machine.

Figs. 8, 9, and 10 illustrate the various positions of cutting device A and the parts of the drive mechanism during a single cycle of operation. In Fig. 8, cutting device A is in a starting position to effect a cutting operation. It has just been returned to the left as the result of spring 99 exerting a pull upon the lower end of link 63 and this link 63' being free to move counterclockwise as the result of the teeth of a single toothed portion 91 on pattern gear 95 riding out of mesh with the teeth on segment 96 and a blank portion 98 coming opposite these teeth on segment 96. In this manner, the lower end of link 63 is free from the driving force from pattern gear 95 and is caused to return counterclockwise to the'position shown in Fig. 8. This return movementof link 63' engages trip link IIII and causes clutch dog I93 to be thrown out of engagement with clutch shoulder I04 of clutch 99, this being illustrated in Fig. 3. Immediately clutch makes a single revolution to drive chain 54, and consequently this causes eccentric connections 25 to effect a single revolution which swings cross bars 22 downwardly and thus cutting device A, this position thereof being shown in Fig. 9. A cutting operation of cutters I5 is thus eifectecl. However, during this vertical downward movement of cutting means A, the teeth of the next toothed portion 91 of pattern gear will start meshing with the teeth of segment 96, whereby this segment again moves to the left to swing actuating link 63' clockwise. Such movement of link 63' causes actuating levers 63 to move cutting means A in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the moving conveyor I3, the timing being such that cutting means A moves at the same rate of speed as conveyor I3.

Fig. 10 illustrates the end of the forward movement of cutting means A. In this position the last tooth of the intermeshing toothed portion of pattern gear 95 is riding out 'of mesh with the teeth of segment 96. As soon as this last tooth is free of the tooth of segment 96, the following blank portion 98 will allow spring 99 again to swing actuating lever 53 counterclockwise and move cutting means A to the left in the position as shown in Fig. 8. It will be clear from this description that cutting means A effects a cutting operation by the cutters while the cutters are moving in a perpendicular direction'with respect to conveyor I3 and while these cutters I5 are at the same time moving in the same direction and at the same rate of speed as conveyor I3. Consequently, a clean and quick cut may be effected without causing an disturbance of the dough on traveling surface I3. A perpendicular out is effected which eliminates slanting sides of the individual pieces cut by the cutters.

It will also be understood that the present invention is directed to shaping the dough as well as cutting. A cutter head I6 having shaping devices may be substituted for a cutter head having cutters I5, or a cutter head I6 having a combination of knives and shapers may be used. Fig. 12 illustrates a cutter head having a series of cutters I 5and a series of crunchers I25. The operation of the machine may be so timed that crunchers I25 may be in advance of cutters I5 so that as the cutting head descends, crunchers I25 will shape the pieces cut by cutters I5 of the previous operation.

Figs. 6 and 12 illustrate the manner in which strippers I26 may be used to prevent dough, as it is cut, from clinging to cutters I5. Strippers I26 may befixed to the bottom of a series of pins I2! freely movable through openings in cutter head I6. Pins I21 may have heads I28 to prevent thesepins I27 from passing through these openings in cutter head I6. Strippers I26 will be slightly less in width than the distance between adjacent cutters I5. As cutters I5 enter the dough, strippers I26are raised the thickness of the dough. As cutters I5 are withdrawn from the dough, strippers I26 will gently drop downwardly and exert a gentle pressure against any dough tending to cling to the sides of cutters I5.

If it is desirable, the sheet of dough fed upon conveyor I3 may be first stripped before it is fed to cutters I5. In the making of certain products, sizes of pieces will vary.' They will vary in width as Well as in length. This stripping may be accomplished by a plurality of vertically spaced rotating cutters I3] mounted upon a shaft I32, freely suspended at its ends in brackets I33 carried by a frame member I34.

Brackets I33 may have vertical bearings I carried upon feed screws I36. These feed screws I36 are used to adjust brackets I33 according to the diameter of cutter blades I3I- that are used. Shaft I32 may be easily removed either to permit removal of knives I8I or to permit replacement of knives differently spaced therealong. This is accomplished by a split arrangement of the outwardly extending arms of brackets I33.

these arms being divided into two parts I35 and I38, Parts I35 are pivoted at I31 so'that they may be swung back to readily release the ends of shaft I32 therefrom. Movable parts I35 may be locked in position, as shown in Fig. 2,'by an adjustable device I39.

Due to the length of conveyor I3, it may be found desirable to support the upper run by a fiat plate I40, as illustrated in Fig. 20. Plate I40 may be carried upon upper frame members 2 connected at the ends by end members 4 and by any number of vertical frame members I4I disposed between the ends of the machine and connecting upper and lower frame members 2 and three together, as illustrated at the lefthand end of Fig. 1. braced transversely by cross members I42. It will be understood that the construction of the frame of the machine may be varied in accordance with the requirements of the installation or the length and width of the machine to. be built.

Conveyor I3 in a machine of the type disclosed is usually of considerable length, and consejustment between the vertical stroke of the cutters and the position of the upper run of the belt so as to assure a cut through the dough on each operation and astopping of the cutters in their downward motion when their cutting edges strike the top face of the upper run of the'conveyor. Any twisting strain on such a long frame may cause the centers of, say, the end rollers to change slightly, which will raise or lower the upper run of the conveyor slightly, but enough to effect the vertical operating stroke of the cutters. still assure that cutters will effect a complete cutting operation of the dough being fed past the cutters by conveyor I3, there is preferably provided a resilient connection between cutter carriage II carrying cutter head I6 and rods I8.

The structure used for this'purpose may be varied, but Fig. '7 illustrates one form that may be employed. Rods I8 may terminate short of the bearings which receive pins I44 in fixed relation. These rods I8 may be slotted at I45 near their lower ends and be provided with a recess I48. Pins I44 extend upwardly through openings I41 in the bottom of rods I8 and have key pins I48 lying transversely therethrough and in slots I45. Spring I49 may be disposed in recesses I46 and bear against the upper end of pins I44. The resilient connection thus provided permits rods I8 to continue traveling downwardly for a limited distance after the cutting edges of cutters 15 have cut through the dough and touched the face of conveyor i3. This resilient connection eliminates the need of a fine adjustment in the stroke of cutting device A with respect to the position of conveyor I3, which is not only difficult to make but diiilcult to maintain when endless conveyors are of considerable length. Moreover, cutters I5 may wear from time to time with the result that the vertical cutting stroke will vary.

The machine may also be To compensate for such variations and The resilient connection disclosed herein will compensate for this wearing of the cutters. Fig. 23 illustrates another form of cutter head I50 having circular cutters ISI that may be used in cutting circular pieces of pastry, such as doughnuts or the like. It will be understood that I contemplate employing cutting devices or knives on the cutting head used-in the machine disclosed herein that will have various shapes and sizes in order to cut pieces of dough of practically any shape or size. To this end, there is no limit to the broad adaptation of any kind of head for carriage II.

To illustrate the vertical cut made by cutters I5. I have shown one form of product made by the machine disclosed herein. This product is designated I52 in Figs. 21 and 21a, and may be.

' for the purposes of this disclosure, a pastry known as a cinnamon roll made by a number of rolled-in layers of dough I53 with a filler I54 be tween the layers. When this product is baked, the vertical sides I55 and- I56 become the top and bottom thereof. able that a clean perpendicular out be made so that there will be no pull on the layers of dough as the cutters move therethrough, nor any disturbance that may cause the layers of filler I54 to be dislodged. By the use of the machine disl the cutters will move through the dough and efquently, it will be diiilcult to maintain a line adfeet a clean cutting action in a very effective I and quick manner. The sides I55 and I58 of the piece cut will be perpendicular with respect to its opposite faces and the layers of filler I54 will not be disturbed. Fig. 22 illustrates'a similar product as, made heretofore, where'the cutters are Consequently, it is desirarranged to move on a rotating drum that brings each cutter against and into the dough in an are so that the receding face I55 of each piece cut is on a slant and forms an undercut that is very undesirable. The advancing side I56 of the next piece is formed as illustrated in Fig. 2, as the result of the cutter pulling the top layer of the dough downwardly to form a blindside. This side I58 will also slope in the same general direction as the opposite side I55. Hence. a Product will be produced which will not have its top and bottom faces perpendicular with the other sides.

To illustrate the crunching action performed by crunchers I25, I have shown in Fig. 24 product I52 after it has been crunched by said'crunchers I25. It will be understood that the term crunching is not to be limited to the shape given the product 652 in Fig. 24, but is intended to include any shaping device that may be desirably used to effect a given shape.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge,.

readily adopt the same for use under varying conditions of service, without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Dough cutting apparatus comprising cut- I riage and cutters toward said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation, means for moving said carriage and cutters in the direction of travel of said traveling surface during said cutting operation, and a drive for said last means, said drive including a mounting for receiving one of a number of interchangeable pattern members for determining the distance said cutting means moves in the direction of movement of said traveling surface during each cycle of operation, said drive maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between said movements irrespective of the cutting capacity of the cutters employed.

2; Dough cutting apparatus comprising a traveling surface for conveying dough to be cut, cutting means including cutter mounting means for interchangeably receiving cutters arranged to out different lengths and have different cutting capacities with respect to the total cut from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation, means for bringing said cutters into cutting relation with said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation, and means for moving said cutting means in the direction of travel of said traveling surface during each cutting operation and thereafter to return the same to its original position, said means including a mounting for receiving one of a number of interchangeable pattern members for determining the distance said cutting means moves in the direction of movement of the traveling surface during each cycle of operation, the last said means maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between said movements irrespective of the cutting capacity of the cutters employed.

3. Dough cutting apparatus comprising a traveling surface for conveying dough to be cut, cutting means including cutter mounting means for interchangeably receiving cutters arranged to out different lengths and have different cutting capacities with respect to the total cut from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation, means for moving said cutters sub stantially perpendicularly to and toward said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation, driving means for simultaneously moving said cutters at substantially the same speed and in the same direction as said traveling surface, said driving means including amounting for receiving one of a number of interchangeable pattern members, the stroke of said cutters in the direction of said traveling surface having a predetermined speed relation to the movement of said traveling surface during each cycle of operation of said cutting means, said driving means maintaining saidspeed relation upon each stroke irrespective of the cutting capacity of said cut-, ters employed.

4. Dough cutting apparatus comprising cutting means having mounting means for interchangeably receiving cutters of predetermined cutting capacities. a traveling surface for feeding dough to be out past said cutters, and a drive for moving said cutters substantially perpendicularly to and toward said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation, said drive including means for simultaneously moving said cutters at the same speed and in the same direction as said traveling surface, said drive also including a mounting for receiving one of a number of interchangeable pattern members for determining the distance said cutters move in the direction of movement of the traveling surface during each cycle of operation, said drive maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between said movements irrespective of the cutting capacity of the cutters employed.

5. Dough cutting apparatus comprising a trav'-' eling surface for conveying dough to be cut, cutting means-including cutter mounting means for interchangeably receiving cutters arranged to out different lengths and have different cutting capacities with respect to the total cut from the advancing edge of the dough upon each cutting operation, and a drive for said cutters including a mounting for receiving one of a number of interchangeable pattern members for determin ing the distance said cutters move in the direction of movement of said traveling surface during each cycle of operation, said drive maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between said movements irrespective of the cutting capacity of the cutters carried by said mounting means.

6. Dough cutting apparatus comprising cut-' ting means adapted to carry a predetermined number of cutters, a traveling surface for'feeding dough to be out past said cutters, a drive for said cutters and said traveling surface, said drive including means formoving said cutters perpendicularly toward said traveling surface to effeet a. cutting operation, means for moving said cutters at the same speed and in the same direction as said traveling surface during said cutting operation and to return said cutters to their original position upon completion of said cutting operation, said drive including mechanism for synchronizing the horizontal and vertical movements of said cutters with the movement of said traveling surface, said mechanism including means for determining the distance said cutters move in the direction of movement of said traveling surface during each cycle of operationsaid drive maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between said movements irrespective of the length of cut to be made by said cutters.

7. Dough cutting apparatus comprising cutting means having cutters therefor, a traveling surface for feeding dough to be out past said cutters, means for moving said cutters toward said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation, a drive for said means, means for moving said cutters in the direction of movement of said traveling surface and for returning said cutters to their original position, a second drive for said last means, a source of power for said drives, and tripping means operable by said second drive 'to connect said first drive to said source of power during each cycle of operation to effect movement of said cutters toward said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation while said outters are moving in the direction of travel of said traveling surface.

8. Dough cutting apparatus comprising cutting means having cutters therefor, a traveling surface for feeding dough to be out past said cutters, means for moving said cutters in the same direction as said traveling surface, means for moving said cutters perpendicularly toward said traveling surface to effect a cutting operation, a source of power, a drive from said source to each said means, a clutch in the drive of said perpendicularly moving means, and a tripping device for said clutch for connecting said drive when said cutters are moving in the same direction as said traveling surface.

moving said cutting means to bring the same against said traveling surface to,efi:ect a cutting operation, and means for moving said carriage in the same direction and parallel to said traveling surface while said cutters are effecting a cutting operation and for returning the same to its original position when the cutting operation is completed, said carriage moving means comprising a swinging bar connected at one end to said carriage, a toothed segment at the opposite end of said ban-and a rotating element having a toothed periphery for engagement with said tooth segment, the teeth of said rotating ting operation, and means for moving said carriage in'the direction of said traveling surface while said cutters are effecting a cutting operation and for returning the same to its original position when the cutting operation is completed, said carriage moving means including a toothed segment, a member movable by the same, and

a rotating element having a toothed periphery for engagement with said toothed segment, the

teeth of said rotating element being arranged in spaced relation with barren spaces therebetween, the number of teeth in each of said groups determining the movement of said member and the distance said carriage moves in the direction of said traveling surface, said barren spaces allowing a return of said member at the end 'of its said movement by said toothed segment.

11. Dough cuttingapparatus comprising a support, a traveling surface on said support for feeding dough to be cut, cutting means including a carriage, a cutter head and cutters carried by said head, an overhead structure carried by said support for mounting said cutting means above said traveling surface including a bed plate for said carriage along which said carriage is adapted to move parallel to said traveling surface and mechanism for reciprocating said cutter head and cutters while said carriage is moved along said bed plate, and a drive for both said carriage and said reciprocating mechanism comprising rocker arms on opposite sides of said traveling surface for reciprocating said carriage upon said bed plate, a link for operating said rocker arms, a toothed segment at one end of said link, a gear for said segment, and a connection synchronized'with the operation of said gear for driving said reciprocating mechanism.

STANLEY A. KRETCHMAN. 

